Electric door-opener



(No Model.)

J. H. BUNNELL.

ELEGTRIG DOOR OPENER. No. 297,751. Patented Apr. 29, 1884.

............... 51* $1M g/ttome/w,

UNITED I STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

JESSE H. BUNNELL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC DOOR-OPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,751, dated April 29, 1884-.

Application filed October 27, 1883. (No model.)

1'0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn H. BUNNELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and Stat-e of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Door-Openers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for automatically releasing the fastenings of doors or gates which may be actuated from a point more or less distant through the agency of electricity.

Heretofore devices have been employed for this purpose in which the latch has been withdrawn or released by the aid of a mechanical force brought into action through the instrumentality of an electro-magnet. This mechanical force has been supplied by means of a spring or weight, which requires frequent winding. Such a provision has been necessary for the reason that it has been found'impracticable to employ electromagnetism for operating with sufficient force directly upon the latch or its retaining-plate.

The object of my invention is to provide a device which may be brought into action from one or more different points throughout a building-such, for instance, as an apartmenthouse-to release the retaining-plate of the door-latch by means of an electro magnet, and to cause the closing of the door to place the device in such position that the latch-plate, when so released by the electro-magnet, will be automatically withdrawn from the latch, thereby relieving the electro-magnet from the necessity of accomplishing other work than that of merely releasing the latch-plate.

In accordance with my invention the retaining-plate of a door-latch is supported upon one arm of a pivoted lever, the other arm of which projects, when the latch is withdrawn,

into the path of a pivoted catch supported upon the door. The electro-magnet for controlling the latch-plate is provided with an armature, the function of whichis to fall behind a detent upon the lever and retain the same in its advanced position, when the plate has been forced forward in front of the latch, in opposition to the constant force exerted by a spring. \Vhen the door is being closed, the

' pivoted catch, by striking against the beveled end of one arm of the lever, forces the latchplate forward and compresses the spring. If the electro-magnet is demaguetized, its armature thereupon falls behind the detent and retains the latch-plate in position in front of the doorlatch. When, however, an electric current is transmitted through the electro-magnet, its armature is withdrawn from behind the detent and the latch is automatically forced back by the spring, thereby permitting the door to be opened from the outside. An electric conductor equipped with suitable circuit-closing devices traverses the building to which it is designed to apply the door-opener, and enables the apparatus to be instantly operated from any desired point.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a door equipped with a device embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 shows certain details in the construction of the device.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the door, and B thedoor jamb or casing. Upon the door is placed a latch, O, of the usual construction, which is provided with a rotary knob, c, of well-known construction, for retractingthe same. Thelatch O,whenthedooris closed, extends behind aplate, D,which is supported, in a mannerhereinafter described,within a metallic case, E. Thiscase is secured to the jamb B, and is constructed with an opening, 6, across the face of which the plate extends when it is in its forward position. Within the case E is pivoted a lever, F, one arm, f, of

which carries upon its lower extremity the latch-plate D. The remaining arm, f, of the lever F carries a beveled extension, d. When the latch-plateD is drawn back, so as to be out of the path of the latch C, the extension (1 projects across a slot or openin g, e, in the plate E. Upon the door is carried a pivoted catch, G, which is normally caused to project outward, in the manner shown in the drawings, by means of a suitable spring, g, This catch is pivoted in such a manner that when the door is being closed it will pass into the slot 6, and if the beveledextension d be across the opening, the latch will strike against the same, forcing it upward. The lever F will thus be turned upon its pivot, and the latch-plate D will be moved forward in front of the latch C. An electromagnet, H, together with its armature 71, is also supported within the ease E. The armature h of this elcctro-magnet is designed to fall behind a detent, h, carried upon the arm 1" of the lever F, when the latter is forced forward. The action of the armature and detent is to retain the lever and platein their forward position in opposition to the force exerted by a; spring, f", which is compressed between the arm f and the front side of the ease E. \Vhen, however, the electro-magnet is traversed by a current of electricity, the armature is attracted toward its poles. The lever F is thus re leased and the plate D is withdrawn from its position in front of the latch G. A spring, J, is provided for causing the doorto open a short distance when thus released. This spring is preferably placed between the hinge side of the door and the adjacent jamb, as shown in the drawings. It may, however, be applied at any other convenient point.

The catch G will not, it is evident, interfere with the opening of the door, even in case the plate is released while the door is still shut, for the reason that, being pivoted in the manner described, it may be turned forward upon its pivot when the door is being opened, by reason of its coming in contact with the back edge of the beveled extension (6.

A suitable system of circuit-closers may be located at different points throughout the building and adapted to complete the eonncc tions of a battery through common conductors 1 leading to theIcleetroanagnet, in a manner well understood.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, substantially as described, with a sliding latch, of the pivoted plate F, formed with the extension or latch plate D at its lower extremity and an arm, f at its upper portion, and provided with a cam, d, a projection on the door for engaging the extremity of the arm f, and acting to force the plate D into the path of the latch, an elcctromagnet, its armature, and a suitable stop, h, for retaining the device in locking position against the force of a retractingspring, f, sub stantially as set forth.

2. The combination, substantially as described, with a sliding latch, of the pivoted plate F, formed with the extension or latch plate D at its lower extremity, and an arm, f, at its upper portion, a projection on the door moving with the same and acting to force the plate D into the path of the latch, but yielding in the opposite direction to pass the arm j", an electromagnet, its armature, and a suitable stop, it, for retaining the device in looking position against the force of a retractingspring, f, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 25th day of October, A. 1). 1883.

JESSE H. BUNNELL.

'itnesscs:

1)ANIEL\V. Enonconn, (hump-Es A. TERRY. 

